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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22943248">fear</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoughtfullyyoungduck/pseuds/thoughtfullyyoungduck'>thoughtfullyyoungduck</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>But mostly fluff, Eddie Kaspbrak Lives, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Mess, M/M, Mentioned Sonia Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Some angst, Some swear words, and she's a bitch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:53:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,789</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22943248</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoughtfullyyoungduck/pseuds/thoughtfullyyoungduck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eddie is tired of having to ask Richie for help tending his wound, but when he gets in trouble, he has no choice.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddie Kaspbrak &amp; Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Reddie - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>87</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>fear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being stabbed by an intergalactic monster, Eddie decided, was no fun at all. He groaned, trying to pull himself upright for the fifth fucking time, and he was getting irritated. It finally worked this time, though the stitches in his abdomen protested against the movement, and all Eddie really wanted to do was lie back down.</p>
<p>He was still so tired, even after a week of being discharged, and two weeks before that him being in the hospital. The doctor had warned him about the side effects of the medication, that it would make him dead tired and would make him feel like he was out of it, but the stab wound hurt way too much to go without it.</p>
<p>He was gradually taking less and less of the painkiller, but Eddie didn’t feel any more energized. He was crawling out of his skin. When he woke up in the hospital, both Richie and Myra by his bedside, he had mumbled that he wanted a divorce, before promptly falling back asleep. Richie later told him that Myra had a fit, and Richie himself had been freaking out, but all Eddie was aware of was utter and overwhelming contentment.</p>
<p>He had survived pennywise, claimed he wanted a divorce, and he was fairly certain that the man he had been in love with since he was twelve was in love with him too. Eddie was ready to jumpstart into his new life, to move out his stuff, to find a new job and to go on a vacation with his new boyfriend because goddamnit they deserved it.</p>
<p>After everything they had been through, they fucking deserved it. But it turns out that getting almost deadly wounded took a lot more energy than Eddie had accounted for, and so he spend his days in a haze, even despite the fact that he wanted to be fully aware of Richie at all times.</p>
<p>It made him feel guilty towards Richie, that he didn’t really do anything besides eat, sleep and get his bandages replaced. Which he couldn’t even do himself. It was Richie who needed to disinfect the giant scar just under his chest, and above his major organs.</p>
<p>Eddie didn’t really want him to do that. Not because he didn’t trust Richie, in fact Richie had never left his bedside when he was in the hospital, so he knew Richie was perfectly capable of doing it, but he didn’t want Richie to feel like his caregiver.</p>
<p>They were supposed to be in the honeymoon phase, the weeks were they couldn’t keep their hands of each other and would go on dates and actually do stuff together, but Eddie couldn’t. And he was getting tired and sick of not doing anything. Which is why he forces himself of the bed, stumbling towards the bathroom, hoping that the disinfect and cream lay there, because he was convinced he wouldn’t be able to walk towards the living room.</p>
<p>Richie’s t-shirt, in which he slept and so spent pretty much the entire day in, was sliding of his shoulders, but he didn’t bother trying to fix it. Eddie was already heaving, leaning against the wall with a huff.</p>
<p>He refuses to give up though, taking a second to prepare himself before walking forward again. He hopes there’s a long line at the supermarket, and that Richie won’t be home for a little while. If he saw Eddie out of bed he’d freak out.</p>
<p>When Eddie finally makes it out of the bathroom, he feels like could cry from happiness. He sits down harshly at the edge of the bathtub, wincing when it jolts his body, but at least he made it.</p>
<p>Their cat, which Richie annoyingly dubbed Mouse, much to his delight and Eddie’s annoyance, comes crawling up the bathtub next to him. For some reason the cat had taken a liken towards Eddie, and it was rare that Eddie woke up and Mouse wouldn’t be there.</p>
<p>Eddie grins and reaches out towards her, petting her soft fur. When Richie told him that he had a cat living in his house, Eddie had expected to be revolted by the furred beast, and he was convinced that the feeling would be mutual. Instead of that happening, he got home, and fell a little in love with Mouse, and Mouse fell a little bit in love with Eddie. Richie could relate.</p>
<p>Mouse looks up at Eddie, seemingly mocking him a little, as if she’s saying; ‘what are you going to do now you idiot’?</p>
<p>Eddie nearly laughs, thanking god that he’s home alone so Richie can’t see him being affectionate towards an animal.</p>
<p>He glances towards the clock on the wall, an ugly old brown colored thing that he inherited from his mother. It was the only thing he really took from Myra’s house, not because he was sentimentally attached to it, but because he somehow wanted to stick it to his mom.</p>
<p>Hanging something she was so fond off in their house, the house Richie and Eddie share, feels like a pretty big fuck you to her.  </p>
<p>The clock just strikes 3 p.m., and Eddie knows he has to hurry. Richie should be getting home in tops 30 minutes, and though Eddie wouldn’t be able to keep Richie from noticing he had been out of bed, he wanted to be back in it so he could avoid part of the lecture.</p>
<p>The lecture he’s expecting to get from Richie doesn’t fill him with as much dread as the one’s from his mother and Myra. Richie would never make him feel the way they did, but Eddie knew that Richie would at least want to be there when Eddie tried to get out of bed on his own for the first time, just in case something would go wrong. But if he had to stare up at the ceiling for one more hour, he would have lost it.</p>
<p>He hopes Richie will bring the cheeseballs he’s desperately craving, maybe if he’s lucky Eddie would be able to stay awake long enough to watch a movie with him. Eddie shakes his head determinately, he has to focus on the task at hand.</p>
<p>Without getting up from the his spot on the bathtub, he reaches forwards towards the cabinet. He’s seen Richie do it enough times to know by heart where he placed all the stuff. He has a little trouble opening the cabinet, his fingers just too short. He contemplates getting up, but he’s already tired and he wants to save his energy as much as possible. Mouse jumps up from beside him, running out of the room. ‘Thanks for your help’, Eddie yells after her, but he’s laughing while he says it.</p>
<p>He manages to lodge open the bathroom cupboard, a towel falling out as soon as he does. Eddie huffs, but he doesn’t try to pick it up, that would require his body to bend way more than he is capable of doing right now.</p>
<p>He’s already thinking about how he’s going to pester Richie about it, trying to grab all the products he need, when he abruptly loses his balance. Eddie yelps, his arms thrown up, grasping at air. It doesn’t help, he fall backwards into the bathtub, and though it’s not that deep, the fall causes him to groan out in agonizing pain, his wound feeling like it’s about to be ripped open. He lies at the bottom of the bath completely motionless, his legs thrown over the edge. In the living room, Mouse yelps at the ruckus coming from the bathroom.</p>
<p>He must have blacked out for a bit, for he wakes up to his face being liked by Mouse. It says enough about how bad he feels, when he doesn’t even try to push Mouse away. Instead, he starts crying. He thought his wound hurt bad before, but he had never felt this kind of pain before. He furiously wipes at his eyes, trying to stop to tears so he can think with a clear head, but the pain in his back is all consuming.</p>
<p>He suddenly really wishes that Richie would get home. Mouse must sense that something bad is opening, because Eddie doesn’t respond to any licks she gives, so she lays her head on Eddie’s arm, which is curled around his abdomen.</p>
<p>Eddie would be grateful if he could process it. He tries to get up, but the pain is too insistent, so he instead lies there, trying to take a peak at the clock, but not quite managing too. He can hear his mom cackling laughter. Her delight in his pain. It makes him want Richie even more.</p>
<p>When Eddie doesn’t hear anything ten minutes later, he knows that he needs to get up. He can’t lie in the position he’s fallen in without damaging anything, so he takes a deep breath and tries with all his might to get out. He screams, his voice nearly giving out under the sound.</p>
<p>‘Eddie’, he hears a worried voice bellow. He’s siting back in the position he’s started in, just with way more pain than before. ‘Richie’, he says quietly, watching as Mouse runs out of the bathroom again. Richie appears but a second later. His eyes widen when he sees Eddie. For a second his face turns pale white, and Eddie is worried he might pass out. He doesn’t thankfully.</p>
<p>He runs towards Eddie dropping op his knees and placing his hand right above Eddie’s healing wound. ‘Eds’, he mutters, his eyes darting all over Eddie, trying to access the damage. ‘I’m sorry’, Eddie whispers, feeling embarrassed and disappointed in himself. Richie look sup sharply, leaning forward and pressing his mount to Eddie’s quick and soft, trying to reassure him. He doesn’t speak, which is unlikely for him. It stresses Eddie out.</p>
<p>‘Okay baby, it’s okay. I’m going to get you back to bed.’ He waits for Eddie to nod, which he does, before sliding his arms under Eddie’s armpits and knees. He tries to keep himself as steady as possible, which Eddie finds sweet, even though his attempts don’t help much.</p>
<p>Eddie grips Richie shirt hard, to help with the pain, and Richie sobs when he sees it. ‘I’m sorry Eds, I’m going to do everything I can to make you feel better okay?’ Eddie doesn’t nod, but he does believe Richie when he says that.</p>
<p>When they reach the bed, again, and Richie has manages to discard Eddie, he gets up again, shushing him when Eddie whines. He promises he’ll be back in a minute, and then he runs, actually runs. Eddie laughs despite himself, knowing that he doesn’t have to go through the pain alone anymore. When Richie comes back with a whole hurray of stuff. Some of it is his usual tend to wound supplies, but he also has ice with him, Eddie’s medicine, a couple of movies, and Eddie’s cheeseballs.</p>
<p>Richie smiles at Eddie, trying to mask how worried his feeling. He gets some water, and then presents the medicine along with it. Eddie hesitates, knowing how tired the medicine will make him, but then he’s reminded of how much his injury is burning, so he takes it anyway.</p>
<p>He shuffles up a bit on the bed, giving enough room for Richie to change the bandages. Richie’s hand trembles, as it always does when he might hurt Eddie. Eddie is starting to get worried that Richie is mad at him, because he still hasn’t said much since arriving. It’s then that Richie speaks up.</p>
<p>‘Why would you do that Eds? If you wanted to do this yourself you could have just told me.’ He’s not making eye contact, still focusing on the task at hand. Eddie’s entire body starts to shake. He sighs.</p>
<p>‘I’m sorry Rich’, he hisses when Richie pulls off the last part. Richie smiles apologetic, saying sorry, and presses a kiss to Eddie’s forehead. It looks like his wound is bleeding a bit, and Eddie almost panics, before he realizes that it’s just the small scratch Mouse gave him that has reopened. He nearly cries out in relief.</p>
<p>‘I just didn’t want to always depend on you. You’re not my caretaker, and I feel really stupid about doing nothing all day and letting you do all the work. I just wanted to start doing it on my own.’</p>
<p>Eddie feels elated to talk about it, but he knows he owns Richie an explanation. He suddenly feels really guilty. Richie has been nothing but thoughtful to him, and he just said he didn’t need his help.</p>
<p>Richie smirks, and Eddie knows what is about to come out of his mouth. ‘It’s okay Eds, your mom always asked me to take care of her too.’</p>
<p>Eddie rolls his eyes hard, and Richie takes advantages of the Eddie’s distraction to pour the disinfection over his wounds. He turn serious all of  a sudden.</p>
<p>‘I’m sorry Eddie, if you wanted me to stop being so fussy. I just wanted to help. Look how about this, you starts cleaning your wound, and walk around and stuff, and I won’t help you unless you ask, but I get to be in the house with you. That way if anything happens I’m here. I’m sorry if I reminded you of your mom,’ Eddie tries to interject, but Richie doesn’t give him a change.</p>
<p>‘But next time please tell me, don’t do stuff likes this when you know you’re not ready. If you want me to leave then I’ll do that, I just love you too much for you to hurt yourself.’</p>
<p>Richie seems like he’s tearing up a bit, and so is Eddie, so he tries to diffuse the situation. ‘You big sap’, he says too Richie, pulling him forward to press his lips to Richie’s. Richie taste like strawberry’s, and something distinctively Richie, and Eddie can’t get enough.</p>
<p>‘Of course I don’t want you to go, I love you too idiot.’ Eddie says sincerely, maintaining eye contact to prove to Richie that he means it.  </p>
<p>‘Do you want to start today?’ Richie asks, grabbing the cream and new bandages. Eddie shakes his head, his eyes feeling very heavy.</p>
<p>‘No’, he yawns, the medicine has finally kicked in. He hears Richie chuckle, after he closes his eyes, and Richie gets to work. He can feel the cream being spread, and though it normally hurts, Richie is so careful that it feel kind of nice. It makes Eddie feels even more tired, but he tries very hard to stay awake. He wants to watch a movie with his boyfriend.</p>
<p>He falls asleep anyway.</p>
<p>He wakes up 4 hours later, when it’s already dark outside. He’s pressed against Richie side, having his hair played with. The pain is only slightly there. When Richie notices that he’s awake, he grins, dipping down to give Eddie a kiss.</p>
<p>‘Hey there sleeping beauty’, he teases, grabbing hold of three DVD’s on his side of the bed. He holds it up above Eddie’s head, and it takes a while before Eddie’s eyes can focus on the words. The shining, 16 wishes and Lilo and stitch. The choices are widely spread, but it’s something so Richie, Eddie can’t help but love it. He ends up chooses Lilo and Stitch, even though he knows he won’t stay awake long enough to watch all of it.</p>
<p>‘I’m sorry we haven’t been on an actual date yet. This supposed to be our honeymoon phase, what if I’ve ruined our relationship because of this?’, Eddie murmurs after Richie has put on the DVD, and grabbed the cheeseballs Eddie’s been craving all week. Usually, Eddie wouldn’t be caught dead eating in bed, but he knows that Richie would buy him a new bed of he wanted to, and he also knows he won’t be able to get out of bed.</p>
<p>‘Are you kidding me? Eds we’re hanging out all the time. Sure you’re asleep, but I’m not. I love this too. I mean, I hate that you’re hurt, but we are spending time together and it doesn’t matter what we’re doing. This is just as much a date as anything else is.’</p>
<p>Eddie smiles brightly feeling better thanks to Richie’s words. ‘Besides, the honeymoon phase? You mean the phase where you can’t stop touching each other? I’m pretty sure that has been us forever. Even when we were kids, I’m pretty sure that’s going to keep going, no matter how long we’re together. I swear your mom was so jealous when she says us together all the time.</p>
<p>‘And you’ve ruined it asshole,’ Eddie says, but he can’t help the fond feeling spreading through him. He’s lucky to have him.</p>
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